Orléans court rejects landowner's bid to block pond use by firefighters

A court in Orléans has rejected a request from a property owner in Saint-Épain, Indre-et-Loire, who sought to prevent his pond from being used as a water source for firefighters.

The owner had contested the inclusion of his pond in the external fire defense system (Deci), citing an incident in July 2020 where firefighters reportedly performed “massive pumping of water” without his authorization, causing property damage. He argued that no formal agreement or servitude existed for the use of his land.

However, the judge ruled that the owner failed to provide evidence of a “concrete, current, and imminent threat” to his situation. The court determined that the single instance of water being drawn during a 2020 fire was insufficient to justify the legal intervention requested.